title: Isolation and immunocytochemical characterization of three tachykinin-related peptides from the mosquito, Culex salinarius.
abstract: Three myotropic peptides belonging to the Arg-amide insect tachykinin family were isolated from whole-body extracts of the mosquito, Culex salinarius. The peptides, APSGFMGMR-NH2, APYGFTGMR-NH2 and APSGFFGMR-NH2 (designated culetachykinin I, II, and III) were isolated and purified on the basis of their ability to stimulate muscle contractions of isolated Leucophaea maderae hindgut. Biologically inactive methionine sulfoxides of two of the three peptides were isolated using an ELISA system based upon antiserum raised against APYGFTGMR-NH2 and identified with mass spectrometry. Immunocytochemistry localized these peptides in cells in the brain, antennae, subesophageal, thoracic and abdominal ganglion, proventriculus and midgut. Nerve tracts containing these peptides were found in the median nerve of the brain, central body, nervi corpus cardiaci, cervical nerve, antennal lobe and on the surface of the midgut.
authors.affiliation: Food Animal Protection Research Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, College Station, TX 77845, USA.
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Meola
authors.forename: F L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Clottens
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Holman
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Nachman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nichols
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schoofs
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Olson
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Pendleton
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D003465:Culex / Q000737:chemistry*; D004064:Digestive System / Q000737:chemistry; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D009474:Neurons / Q000737:chemistry; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015320:Tachykinins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification*
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D009842:Oligopeptides; D015320:Tachykinins; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C111126:culetachykinin I; C111127:culetachykinin II; C111128:culetachykinin III